In their own words…

IEA – Your work on rental market discrimination against Transgender couples in Latin America tackles an understudied issue. What were your main findings, and what unique methodological challenges did you face in conducting this research?

María – Given the importance of the access to decent, safe, and affordable housing on individuals’ living conditions and opportunities, in a joint work with Abbate, Berniell, Coleff, Laguinge, Machelett and Marchionni, we assessed the extent of discrimination against LGBTQ+ people when searching for an apartment to rent in Latin America. For this, we conducted a large-scale correspondence study in Argentina, Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru, where fictitious couples sent messages to property managers through an online rental housing platform where they expressed their interest in renting an advertised property. These messages were identical, except for one detail that was randomly varied: some of these fictitious couples signalled to be cisgender heterosexual, others to be cisgender male gay, and others to be a heterosexual couple where the female partner was a transgender woman.

The results were shocking: trans couples received 19% fewer responses, 27% fewer positive responses, and 23% fewer invitations to visit the property compared to hetero-cis or male gay couples. Interestingly, we find no evidence of discrimination for gay male couples. In other words, individuals who are identical in every other dimension are discriminated against solely for being trans. However, revealing a strong labor market signal reduces this gap, suggesting the presence of statistical discrimination.

This study presented significant methodological challenges, as it required precise randomization of couples’ profiles and financial signals to isolate causal effects, as well as careful attention to messages design to ensure cultural responsiveness across countries. In addition, as any other correspondence study, ours focuses on the initial stage of the housing search, and cannot capture whether more discriminatory events occur later throughout the rental process both for trans couples and gay couples. However, it pioneers the evidence on discrimination based on gender identity and sexual orientation in Latin America, and highlights the importance of understanding the mechanisms behind such discrimination to inform inclusive housing policies and policies that improve job security for trans people.

IEA – How do you see your findings on discrimination and family policy informing current policy debates? What concrete changes would you like to see based on your research?

María – In the case of family policy, our research shows that while extended maternity leaves can offer short-term benefits for work-family balance, they can also exacerbate long-term gender inequalities in the labor market. Mothers face significant penalties in career progression and income, without evidence of corresponding improvements in children’s educational outcomes. These findings highlight the need for more balanced parental leave policies. I believe policy discussions should prioritize parental leave reforms that encourage equal sharing of caregiving responsibilities between mothers and fathers, thus reducing gendered penalties while promoting work-family balance. Equally important are the investments in affordable, high-quality childcare services, which allow parents –particularly mothers– to remain in the labor force without compromising their children’s development.

Furthermore, our findings on discrimination based on gender identity and sexual orientation offer important lessons for the design of public policies that reduce the barriers LGBTQ+ individuals face when looking for housing. We find significant discrimination against trans couples compared to heterosexual and gay male couples. However, this discriminatory behavior notably decreases when trans couples indicate having stable employment and rental collateral. This suggests that policies focused on improving job stability for trans individuals—such as employment quotas or programs that facilitate access to rental guarantees—could help mitigate discrimination. Additionally, awareness campaigns that challenge perceptions about the financial and labor market capacity of LGBTQ+ people may also help reducing these disparities.

IEA – As someone studying discrimination and social policy, how has diversity – or the lack of it – in economics affected the questions we ask and the methods we use? What concrete changes would make economic research more inclusive?

María – Diversity in economic research is important because it brings new perspectives that shape the questions we ask and the policies we propose. Although the field of economics still lacks diversity, the increasing involvement of researchers from underrepresented groups is already influencing the topics we study. For example, in my work on family policies and discrimination, I have been able to explore issues that have traditionally not been at the center of economics, such as the effects of extended parental leave on gender equality or discrimination in the rental market for trans couples. These areas of study greatly benefit from a more inclusive perspective, challenging preconceived notions and allowing us to address structural problems affecting marginalized groups.

In addition, together with a group of co-authors we are currently conducting a study commissioned by the International Economic Association (IEA) that examines the situation of women in the Economics profession within the academia in Argentina. This work highlights the persistent gender gaps faced by women in advancing their careers in the discipline, and emphasizes how diversity in academia can not only enrich the field but also ensure that the policies we propose are more inclusive and reflect a broader range of perspectives.